Ask Joe: Is Lawlor still a concert site?

From the Ask Joe file, one of our viewers has a question about what used to be a popular local concert venue.

Jim Robertson wrote in, and said that he has noticed Lawlor Events Center is rarely, if ever, used as a concert venue.

Jim said he misses the big shows and he wants to know what gives?

Answer:

Lawlor Events Center is home for the men's and women's Wolfpack basketball teams, and it used to host a number of big concerts.

Joe checked with Jane Tors at UNR. She said over the years, additional venues have been built, including the Downtown Reno Events Center. So, while Lawlor does host some concerts and shows, those events are more spread out at the Events Center and different casinos. Tors also said the University also partners with the RSCVA to help host conventions that require multiple venues.

So, is there a financial impact for the University if they are not hosting as many concerts? It sounds like it. If you look down south, Thomas and Mack Arena generates quite a bit of revenue for UNLV. Tors said Lawlor used to be a revenue generator, but now, it basically breaks even.

She said while there is more competition out there for those events, the University is always looking to host more shows and concerts, whenever it can.